These 5 Company Characteristics Are Linked To A Stronger Growth Mindset

Entrepreneurs
I write about the secret of company culture in entrepreneurial success

Life can get comfortable. So comfortable that we end up coasting on our current routines without worrying too much about the future and its possibilities. We've all fallen into a professional, creative or spiritual rut before and had to climb our way out.

But on an organizational level, how can companies cultivate the characteristics that foster growth mindsets? Remember that a growth mindset is one in which the status quo and "good enough" are never good enough. It's not about progress for its own sake. And it's not about working yourself or your employees to exhaustion. We're talking about a much bigger picture than the daily grind.

Even on a daily basis, there are several things business leaders can do to make sure their company provides an inspiring environment and a general spirit of momentum and growth. Such workplaces have several characteristics in common. Here are five worth considering.

A Sense of Optimism and Fulfillment

We all know that growing as individuals depends in part on how fulfilled we are in life currently and how clearly we can picture the future we want for ourselves. People who believe in boundless opportunities propel themselves toward greatness with a contagious productive spirit.

The same thing can happen in our companies. An organization that wants to pursue new opportunities and promote constant growth has to know how to foster not merely a sense of fulfillment among employees and partners today but also encourage long-term thinking, a spirit of optimism and the belief that nothing is beyond reach.

In more practical terms, instilling optimism in your employees means encouraging feedback and out-of-the-box thinking at every organizational level and helping staff to take mind-cleansing breaks and vacations from their work at regular intervals.

The Ability to Spot Inspiration Anywhere You Find It

You've heard the phrase "steal from the best," right? It's not a call for dishonesty — instead, it's encouragement to cast a wide inspirational net so that you have a broader inspirational canvas to draw from. You might be able to accomplish this by engaging in competition and inspiring mutual greatness in business rivals. Perhaps you could also help your workers travel the country or the world so they can see how other workplaces and communities do things differently.

Work exchange programs, humanitarian outreach, community service and informal group trips can all help inspire a shared sense of inspiration and our belonging in the larger world. A company that has its eyes on steady growth well into the future should encourage its employees to seek out inspiration in other institutions and even out in the natural world.

Resilience and a Love of Problem-Solving

The side of the coin opposite finding inspiration everywhere and indulging in optimism is preparing for problems and setbacks. Resilience is one of the most important characteristics a company can instill in its employees if it wants to maintain robust growth.

We're all on one journey or another, and we all face stumbling blocks. The growth-minded workplace is one that pushes its workers to excel but also makes sure they're comfortable bringing up their concerns when something arises that threatens to slow them down or compromise the quality of their work. In other words, keep your door and your ears open. You've probably hired thoughtful people, and while resilience begins with the individual, it also means pulling together as a team.

Your employees should each have a love of thoughtfully solving problems, too. This is something you can hire for when you're seeking new talent. You can also cultivate this trait by encouraging cross-training and helping your employees leave their comfort zones. All of these initiatives will mean they develop into thoughtful drivers of company growth who don't let setbacks wear them down.

A Cultural Identity and Sense of "Belonging"

One of the primary differences between a growth-minded company and one with "static ambitions" is that the former tends to promote from within and the latter tends to pursue outsiders when they have upper-level positions to fill.

Consequently, static ambitions are a self-fulfilling prophecy. Bringing aboard folks for advancement who aren't invested in your culture and who are, more than likely, interviewing more for seniority and a paycheck than because they share your mission, will slow down your growth in a big way. The growth-minded company is one that has a distinct purpose and a culture shared by all.

A Hunger for Learning

As your organization grows, you'll find yourself needing people who are driven and who will, in turn, drive your business toward greatness. A huge component of this is a hunger for ongoing learning.

It's something you can hire for, but it's also something you can help develop. Ongoing learning programs are prevalent these days among professional organizations, and they can help make sure you have a stable of talent and knowledge that's ready to climb the ranks from within.

In fact, that piece of advice applies to every entry on this list. We're witnessing an industries-wide pivot from "hard" to "soft" skills — and it's these in-demand "soft skills" that seem to drive growth the best. They're also in higher demand.

Cold facts and acquired knowledge aren't going anywhere, but if you're still hiring full minds instead of open ones, the competition might be about to leave you behind.

I am the founder and president of WebFX. For the past 3 years straight, WebFX was named the No. 1 Best Place to Work in PA, setting a new record in the history of the award and setting a new standard for PA companies to give back to their employees. Here, I write about lead...